Regulating apparatus for operating from a distance devices for releasing projectiles from aircraft



July 3, 1928. 1,675,835

R. ALKAN ET AL REGULATING APPARATUS FOR OPERATING FROM A DISTANCE DEVICES Fan RELEASING PROJECTILES FROM AIRCRAFT Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 3, 192 8.

R. ALKAN ET AL REGULATING APPARATUS FOR OPERATING FROM A DISTANCE DEVICES FOR RELEASING PROJECTILES FROM AIRCRAFT Filed July l8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1928.

1,675,835 Umrao sures Parent orrics.

ROBERT ALKAN AND GEORGES LESOURD, PARIS, FRANCE.

REGULATING' APPARATUS FOR OPERATING FROM A DISTANCE DEVICES FOR RELEAS- ING PROJECTILES FROM AIRCRAFT.

Application filed July. 18

The devices for throwing projectiles the releasing of the projectiles must be effected from a distance from the seat of the passenger who has to attend to this. This control from a distanceof the devices for releasing the projectiles must fulfil different requirements corresponding to the special condition of bombarding by aircraft.

This invention relates to a mechanical device which, in order to fulfil the above mentioned requirementand to realize the conditions of bombarding froniaircraft, presents the following characteristic features:

1. The releasing of the projectiles .is possible either the one after the other, every disengaging being controlled by a separate manoeuvre, or in series or in a volley, each manoeuvre controlling the disengaging of agroup of projectiles.

2. The manipulation of the operating device adapted to cause the disengaging is reduced to a mechanical action requiring only "eny little energy, for instance, in the form of construction shown by way of example, a pressure of the finger upon a trigger carried by a movable handle.

3. The number of the projectiles released for a volley is adapted to be initially regulated by a preliminary manipulation, executed prior to the releasing.

4. When shots have to be fired one after the other, :eachprojectile is liberated a short and always uniform time after the moment at which the manipulation of disengaging has been carried out.

5. When a volley of projectiles is to be fired, the first projectile is also liberated a very short but uniform time after the moment the manipulation of disengaging has been carried out, and the releasing of the other projectiles takes place at regular intervals, the duration of which is adapted to be initially regulated by a manoeuvre carried out prior to the firing.

6. The operating device comprises indicating elements which'are easy to read and serve for counting the number of'projectiles which have been released or which remain to be released, and the number of projectiles of a prepared volley and furtherfor predetermining the time between two successive disengagings.

(. This device comprises a safety-position 1m Serial No. 205,759.

in which the control-elements are lockedand during which any action uponthe handle remains ineffective. The operating device, according to the lDVGIItlOIl is illustrated, by way of example, 1n the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows in a perspective view, the total arrangement of the operating-device with its drivingystem and the apparatus for throwing. projectiles.

Fig; 2 shows at much larger scale a perspectlve v1ew of the operating-device with its regulator:

Fig. 3 shows a modified construction;

In the form of constructionshown by way of example, the device, according to the lnvention, is supposed to be connected with an apparatus for throwing proj ectiles in which the successive releasing of the projectiles is attained by the rotation of a rotatable element,adapted to be operated from a distance I the form of construction shown-this relea'scing angle corresponds to one revolution of the main shaft of the operating device. ThlS ratio of transmission might however be different. The apparatus for throwing projectiles, which does not form part of this invention, might be of other type as that selectedby way of example and comprise for instance a releasing cam mounted on an endless chain, so that it is shifted with regard to the hooking-on devices for the projectiles, the shifting of said cam from one projectile to the following corresponding to one revolution of the main shaft of the operating device.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing a number. of projectiles 1, 1, 1 are sus-" pended to releasing hooks 3, 3', 3 adapted to be successively actuated by the rotation of a shaft 2 on which the releasing cams 4, 4', 4" are keyed, displaced a certain angle theone with regardto the other. intermediary of a set of toothed gear drives 5 operated by an endless chain, which en gages at the other end with a pinion7 ofthe driving system.

I nected to the-pinion 20- even when the oper This driving system, which has for its erably a bundle of rubber-threads 8, arranged in a tube 9 and attached at one end to a stationary support 10 and at the other end to a fork 11 rigid with an axle 12 on which said pinion 7 is keyed. This bundle of rubber-threads can, by being. torsioned around its axis, accumulate a certain quantity of energy and the driving couple which results from this can be transmitted at the convenient moment, by the axle 12, to the pinion 7 and operate, by the chain 6, the device for releasing the projectiles.

On the axle 12a, second pinion 13 is keyed which, by an endless chain 14, is connected to the operating apparatus proper 15 so that this apparatus can control the movements of the driving mechanism and consequently the total mechanism.

A centrifugal frictiongovernor 16 mounted on the axle 12 serves to limit the revolving speed to the speed which corresponds to the minimum duration of the interval between the successive releasings of the projectiles.

This main operating mechanism 15 is mounted on the aircraft in proximity to the passenger. It comprises the elements for preparing the firing and for regulating the same and on the outer side the regulating handles and the indicating dials. v t

This apparatus is mounted on a stationary supporting plate 17 by means of one nut 18. In the plate 17 an axle 19 is journaled on which a pinion 20 is keyed which is connected to the-driving shaft 12 by the chain 14/which remains permanently conatin apparatus is separated from the supporting plate.

A connection 22, whichmay be instantaneously detached, connects the axle 19 to a main-shaft 21.

Fig.2 shows in ,a perspective View tlie total of the principal elements of the operating apparatus which, to facilitate the understanding, is shown in'a difi'erent sense as the control apparatus in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the pinion 20 is shown which is operated by the chain 14, its axle 19 carrying the inner part of the removableconnecting or coupling element 22 by meansof which .this axle 19 is connected to one of the ends of the main-shaft 22. of the control-apparatus, the other end of this main-shaft '21 carry ing a-winding up square .21".

On the shaft 21 a large abutment-element 25 is keyed which is adapted to act upon one or several of three locking paW'ls 26,

27, 28 which are loosely mounted on a staelements 39 and 40.

abutment 25, from the operator by means of a sheathed cable 29 attached at the other end to a trigger 30 of a movable operating handle 31. A pull spring 32 serves to maintain this pawl 26 in engagement with the abutment 25. V

The pawl 27 designed to limit the number of projectiles of avolley is automatically actuated by a cam 33, fixed on a secondary shaft 34. This pawl 27, has an arm 27, the end of which, in the shape of a nose 27bears permanently, under the action of a spring 35, upon the circumference of cam 33. In the circular circumference of the cam 33 a notch 33" is arranged with which the nose 27" of arm 27 engages'when said notch stands opposite the nose, the angular displacement which results from this position bringing the pawl into engagement with the abutment 25, while it is disengaged from this abutment when the nose 27 of the arm 27 bears on the circular portion of the circumference of cam '33. The secondary shaft 34 is rotated from the main-shaft 21 through the intermediary of a mechanism reducing the speed and consisting preferably of a Maltese-cross 36,

a tappet 37 of a disk '38 keyed actuated by on the main-shaft 21; a The Maltese-cross 36, loosely mounted on the secondary shaft 34. is connected with this shaft by a toothedelement 39 rigid with said Maltese-cross, the counter-element 40 being keyed on said secondary shaft.

The secondary shaft 34 has on its outer end a hand-knob 41, by means of which the shaft can be shifted in its supports and in the Maltese-cross 36 for bridging the clutch element 39 out of' gear with the counterelement 40. By turning the knob, after having pushed the same, the angular position of the cam 33v can be changed, the arm 27 a of pawl 27 liberated .by pushing back by the circular portion of the cam the nose 27 ofthe arm 27, and this cam 33 can be 27 comes into engagement with the abutment 25 only after a certain number of revolutions of shaft 21, i.-e. after the releasing of a corresponding number of projectiles. When the knob 41 is released, a spring 42, connected at one end to shaft 34 and at the other end of a stationary collar 43. ensures the engagement of the teeth of the clutch- A pointer 41 on the knob 41 indicates on a stationary dial 44 the number of the rojectiles designed to form a volley. nly thezero on this dial is shown. A number of figures are. engraved in the Maltese-cross 115 adjusted in such a manner that the pawl f or on a. dial fixed on the same, so that these figures appear successively in a window 45 of the casing of the apparatus, the visible be released.

The regulating pawl 28, pulled by a spring 47 into contact with the abutment 25, is keyed on ,a sleeve 48, on the other end of which an arm 49 is fixed, the free end of which bears on a cam 50. Thiscam, which has a short boss 58 designed to lift the arm .49 and consequentlmthe pawl 28, is rigid with a barrel 51, loosely mounted on the main-shaft 21 and containing a spiral-bladespring, the inner end of which is fixed to the main-shaft, the outer end being fixed to the inner surface of the barrel. Teeth 51 in the outer circumference of barrel 51 are in gear with a set of gear-Wheels and pinions 52, 53, 54. 55, said latter wheel forming, together with a pallet 56, an escapement regulating mechanism. Two stops 57 'and 58, the one 57 fixed on shaft 21. and the other 58 fixed on cam 50, limit to one revolution the useful angle of the spring and determine its initial tenslon. It is evident that the driving couple actuating-the gear ary of the cable 29, the backward oscillation of pawl 26 which liberates the, abutment 25 and consequently the shaft 21 so that, under the action of the rubber-motor this shaft executes one revolution until the abutment 25 bears again on the pawl 26 which, under the action of the pull-spring 32, has returned into its initial position. This rotation of shaft 21 has caused the releasing of the projectile, as every rotation of shaft'21 corresponds to thereleasing of one projectile and the disengaging of this projectile has taken place a very short moment after the operation of the trigger 30.

To release a group or volley of projectilesthe number of-projectiles to form this.

volley is preliminarily determined by adjusting the cam 33 accordingly with the'aid of the knob 41-, this cam having to be adjusted, for starting, to such a position that a point of its circular circumference stands underneath the nose 2'? of the arm 27*, so

thatthe pawl 27 is swung away from the abutment 25. The trigger 30 has then to be pulled continuously. The lifting of pawl 26 liberates the abutment 25, and shaft 21 will execute a complete and rapid rotation, corresponding to the releasing of the first projectile of the volley. After this revolutionthe abutment 25 is stopped by pawl 28, which is pulled down by its spring 47.

, During this same revolution the shaft 21 has put under tension the spring in the barrel '51, the stop 57 of the abutment 21 having moved away from the stop 58,0f cam so that this cam 50, rotated by the barrel, 0011- I tinue's to rotate after the abutment 25 has been stopped by pawl 28. At a predetermined moment the boss of cam 50 engages with the arm 46 and lift-sit at the same time as the pawl 28 with whiehthis arm 49 is rigidly connecteds As the abutment 25 is" thus liberated, the shaft 21 executes a fresh revolution, whereby a second projectile is released, the same operations being repeated again so that a third and then a fourth projectile and so forth are released, until cam 33 brings its notch 33 under the nose of the arm 27 which is thus lowered and draws along the pawl-27 so that it engages under the abutment 25and stops the'same. The rotating speed of cam 50 is controlled by the escapement-regulation-mechan-ism 55, 5G and consequentlvit is possible, ,by preliminarily regulating this mechanism by a suitable means, to determine accurately the time required by the barrel 51 to execute one revolution and consequentlyithe interval between the successive releasing ofthe pro-' jectiles for one volley;

By adjusting the cam 33 so that its notch" 27*, the whole systenlislocked by the pawl 27. This adjusting is easily obtained by placing the pointer 41 of the knob 41 on the zero of the corresponding graduation.

The disengaging of the pawl 28 could be produced by other mechanical means as 33 stands underneath the nose 27" of arm these which have been described, under the act-ion of a spring,

I which, by the rotation of shaft 21-, would be put under tension in -a proportion predetermined by preliminary ad usting, so that the effects of the expansion of this spring, which must lead to the disengaging of said pawl 28, will take place during accurately the time which corresponds to the regulation.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of construction of the device for regulating the interval which separates the successive releasings of projectiles of one volley. Thisdevice con sists of a governor 59 with friction-balls, substituted for the escapemerit-mechanism described, the variation of speed being obtained by the displacement. by means of the regulating hand wheel 60, of the friction arm 61, the action of which is xerte'd on the sliding disk 62 of the governor;

ll U

ent forms of constructions of the devi'e for I regulating the interval which separates the releasing operations for one volley consists in the fact that the force, which 'actuates this device, is independent of the action of the main driving spring and of the passive resistances of the elements for'transmission' and releasing.

We claim:

1. A regulating apparatus for operating from a distance for releasing projectiles from aircraft, comprising in combination a main shaft, a motor for rotating said mainv shaft, means for connecting said main shaft with said releasing devices, an abutment on saidmain shaft, three pa wls adapted to cooperate with said abutment, means for operating one of said pawls directly from the drivers seat, an arm on the second pawl, a secondary shaft above said main shaft, a cam on said secondary shaft co-operating with said arm of said second pawl, means for regulating the position of said cam according to the number of successive releasings to be effected, a driving mechanism independent of the main motor, and adjustable means for operating from said separate driving mechanism said third pawl which regulates the interval between two successive releasings.

2. In a regulating apparatus as specified in claim 1 the utilization of a motor consisting of rubber elements working by torsion, and a governor for regulating the revolving speed of said motor.

3. In a regulating apparatus as specified in'claim 1, a hand-operated operating device comprising in combination a handle, a trigger in said handle, and a sheathed cable for operating the first pawl of the main op-' erating device so that a short pulling of said trigger causes the releasing of one projectile or of one group of projectiles.

4. In a regulating apparatus as specified in :claim 1 adevice for regulating the position vof the cam determining the number of projectiles to be released, comprising .in combination with the cam and with thesecondary-shafton which said cam is keyed, a dial on the outer end of said shaft indicating the number of released projectiles -or of projecti'les to be still released, a clutch between said dial and said fshaft, and a handle for adjusting the position of said cam in accordance with a the desired conditions of firing. 1 i

5. In a regulating apparatus as specified in claim 1, a device for regulating the interval between successive releasings of the projectiles for one volley, comprising in combination with the main driving shaft of the apparatus, a barrel, a blade spring in said barrel put under tension by the rotation of said main shaft, a cam rigid with said barrel and operating said thirdpawl, an escapement device connected with said'barrel, and means for regulating said escapement device in order to determine the accurate duration of the rotation ofsaid barrel corresponding to one disengaging of a projectile.

6. In a regulating apparatus as specified in claim 1 a device for regulating the intervals of time between the successive releasings comprising in combination with the main driving shaft and with the third pawl co-operating with said shaft, a spring putunder tension by the rotation of said main driving shaft, and means for preliminarily regulating the proportion of tension of said spring to regulate theacourate time at which said third pawl is'operated by said spring.

7. FIn a regulating apparatus as specified in claim 1, a third form of construction of the device for regulating the intervals between the releasings, comprising a centrifugal governor on the, main driving shaft, a sliding disk of said governor, a friction-finger in contact with said sliding disk, and

means for adjusting the position of said friction-finger.

ROBERT ALKAN GEORGES LESOURD. 

